The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-11
CONFLICTS AND CONVICT LABOR

i'uiN VI oi'VNl"i NaiuS Wy bit ihtlubNlS
OF the Mississippi Legislature, and will also
be found TO possess interest for every intclli-
gent person who desires to have basis
for thoughtful compassion for the crimi-
mails confined in our penitentiaries. The
questions, what TO do with the convict and
what to do for him, are still unsettled, but
enough has been concluded upon rs a re-
suit Of the labors OF the prison reiorners
TO justify the presentation OF what this pa
per contains OF suggestions from these cx-
perts. The increase OF criminals keeps
pace with the increase OF population We
do not mean that il increases in the
same ratio, but that there is some increase
growing out OF one or other Of the
untoward conditions OF our so.
cial system which have often been
painted in fiction, as wcllas in official report
and philanthropic paper, but have never
yet been provided against by an adequate
defense and shield for the weak and the
unwary. Victims sometimes of their own
seliimportancc and self-conccit, Of undis-
ciplincd passions, OF desire for display
and to keep pace with society, OF envy and
jealousy that prompts 10 theft and muir
der, Of the desire for great wealth that
leads TO grain and other combinations. aud
the ruin Of banking institutions, criminals
under these clasidcations as well as Of
thecommoncr order, who gropc in the dark
ness Of Ignorance, and have grown up in
the gutter, and are OF the gutter, lshmacl-
ties from birth, who speak n patois only
known TO the initiated, aud regard the
policeman not rs the guardian OF the peace
but Us the enemy Of their peace, the
rude destroyer Of their happiness, and who
il the only terror they know outside Of
prison walls. These, when convicted
Of crime, are 10 he dealt with
as the law contcmplatcs, in prison,
not In mines or farm pens, from the
basis Of broad humanity which
would liz the unfortunate being, who still
has some claims upon the State, out OF and
away from the conditions in which he has
lived teach him the value Of sclidisci.
plinc, the value Of sclfsupport aud the In
dependence that comes OF Il, the value Of a
trade that will enable him 10 reach 10 that
independence and 40 elevate himself 10 u
plano with the industrious and honest
worklngmcn, who are the main reliance Of
the Republic, the main reliance Of every
civilized country ON the globe. Tho State.
under modern conditions, Is, for liz own
sake. comPellcdto leave the convict better
than Il finds him; Il Is bound. by ctcry
principle Of justice 10 society, ~ well as 10
the criminal, 10 try and lit him up 10 the
plane OF our common manhood, and open
a way for his well being and we'll doing
There are hard naturcd people who do not
admit that any good can follow this treat.
''"'' ""' '"' "i'''' ''s"'' VI l''''" ~
form, from the days Of Howard TO this
sooN nou'' s'Ons P'''cS' "s"''iSl
'''o ''u', ''''u'ou'en'ss va" N"u'"
pursue the criminal classes with NJ
morsclcSs vengeance and prevent ray Of
'c'o'"i''''l SUNSHINE ron i'ao'''hs 'n'i''
'n' s''"''s' VI "'' "'eh' Wy h's sunii'neeN'
'"'p'eo' p''''n''"nu 'o''''u'''' "'Syml"'hI
ahu co''l''''oh' "Ah'N''ns'n 'le ia''r
nou' "lS'h'.ho'o W ''' ''''' upon ''' eiuss
'nu' '"''hS h's sno'', ou' oNrn''ni' INNS
wy nc ''us''' ''' '''''"e's 'n'' '''y h'u
h''u' ~ ai' men anu women '''''y nave
ne''' 10 pray lfAn Us moi iii'o icmp@
u'h, "u' u''''ei W nuih o'"' ~ 'h'
u'r'' WINE on '''' 'n'''"o'u OF "sa'h' wa
'h''' instantly "''''y VI '''''''c' h''
"''h''ah''ns h' NV '' crime "n'
heE''" o. Jus opportunities I"
'hi'u OF i''a''' Nhy cannot ". s'''
i"" "'''c wan n''hs "'A'n u'
criminal "''' l''h"ls, mss never 1noNn
u 'h''' W 'h'''N "i' ~ "'''m tue
u'ih' 'p'iA '''A' Iusu'''N 'heoa'' 70 ''pch'
aho' may DC a"ak'hod' 'i'''N'u'h i''''
mas oceh slowly Hn' "''"'"''y c'o''''
nom o'hu''''h' "' p"n'''s'h' Tue p'oc'S'
VI" sometimes "''''ou 'ot o'h'u'i's' bul
hha''y' " "h a''uuiu'''n "hh '''e'isup''
power, u rras,crted itself aud elevated h'